1066 and all that

Bored of the local roads round me, I popped my newly cleaned bike into the back of the car and set off into Kent. Parked up in Ticehurst before embarking on a long and highly enjoyable, if tiring, loop of 1066 country. I started by heading east on a gently undulating road which took me through Flimwell and Hawkhurst. From there I struck out towards Rye, through Sandhurst and Newenden, then turning off the A268 just before Peasmarsh. I followed a pretty back road past someone wonderful country houses and spectacular gardens, ending up in Wittersham after about an hour's cycling. From there I went through Stocks and dropped down onto the flat marshes near Appledore. Then I headed south east towards New Romney, on a very busy and unpleasant main road. On reaching New Romney, I made directly for the coast at Littlestone on Sea. By now the sky was cloudless but with a strong breeze to keep me cool. By the two hour mark I had cut back inland past Lydd airport and on towards Jury's Gap and Camber. Being past lunchtime I was starting to get pretty hungry - managed to find a cafe at Rye serving all day breakfasts. Not the best thing perhaps as cycling fodder, but it was cheap calories and that is what mattered. The route immediately after lunch came as a bit of a shock as it was along a rolling ridge towards Battle, with plenty of climbing. The breakfast lay as a greasy lump in my stomach for at least half an hour, but after that seemed to kick in! By the time I had hit some cross country back roads and reached Robertsbridge, the 100k was up and I was flagging. Every small hill assumed daunting proportions until I finally reached Ticehurst again on 113km. That felt good! Fully deserved the slice of delicious Banoffee pie that Mrs M served up this evening.